A minimum of 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above (including English Language). Level 2 vocational qualifications (e.g. BTEC/OCR) must be a merit grade or above and only one will count as one GCSE equivalent.

This course is only available to students who are a part of the College’s Advanced Graduate Programme. Students will therefore need to have an average GCSE grade of 6.5 or above to study the Cambridge Pre U.

25%exams

75%coursework

Exam board: Cambridge International Examinations

100%of UK universities value the Cambridge Pre-U

GPR is a course that will allow you to develop skills that are transferable to all subjects studied at St Brendan’s.

The ability to make reasoned adjustments, construct and pursue written and verbal arguments and to evaluate matters in a critical way is important. The GPR teaches students to work independently whilst developing skills that will be essential to success at university and beyond. We believe that the GPR will bridge the gap between Post 16 studies and university and is unique in terms of the skills it offers.

First Year

Global Perspectives is a series of seminars that encourages students to explore real-world challenges that will face them as young people in the modern world – wherever they may live and work. Students will build up a portfolio of work including audio-visual and web-based presentations and will develop detailed research proposals.

Topics sit under five headings:

Practical Ethics

Economics

Environment

Technology

Politics and Culture

Second Year

The Independent Research Report comprises a report based on a topic chosen by the student. It gives the students the opportunity to dig deeper in a chosen specialism, cross boundaries with an inter-disciplinary enquiry, or make a new departure with a non-school subject, e.g. Anthropology. Universities place much value on a student’s independent learning and research skills.

Methods of Teaching and Learning

The course will comprise a range of teaching and learning methods to ensure students are well-engaged with debate and developing their thinking outside of the classroom. Methods include seminar based discussions, debate, presentations, peer learning, research tasks and academic writing workshops.

Marking and grades

All GPR students will gain a Pre-U certificate for the GPR. The grading system for all Pre-U subjects is Distinction/Merit/Pass, and the top Distinction is at a level above an A* at A-level.